Photographs and Memories
by JessieBess
Summary: Tom and Cora spend the day together working on a project for Sybbie. Tom uses Cora's gift on his voyage to Boston.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story expands a small scene I wrote for A New Life. Since this was getting so long, I broke it into two chapters.**

As the big day approached Tom wondered for the hundredth time if he was doing the right thing. He didn't have much apprehension regarding himself. Although he loved his job as estate manager, and knew he would miss it very much, he was ready to leave Downton.

His apprehension dealt with Sybbie. Was he doing the right thing for Sybbie? Was he putting his own interests ahead of hers? He was taking her from a family that loved her. When he was in Boston he'd have to work all day and leave her with a caregiver until she went to school next year, how was that different from the nanny here at Downton? Here he was able to adjust his days to be with Sybbie if need be but he wouldn't be able to do that in Boston at least not in the beginning when he was new to the job.

Well he couldn't second guess himself now. The arrangements had been made. The job was accepted. He told himself it was just last minute jitters about making such a drastic change. It was always easier to stay with the familiar.

He did have some last minute things to do, the most important of which involved Cora. He thought that at this time of morning she would be in her upstairs sitting room. It was considered Cora's domain and rarely did anyone else in the family use it which Tom thought was a pity because it was one of the prettiest rooms in the house. The large picture windows looked out over the garden making it a very peaceful retreat. Tom would have loved such a room as his office although he might have spent more time looking at the gardens and the view rather than his papers and estate books.

As he had thought, Tom found Cora alone in her upstairs sitting room doing some embroidery. Tom wondered what she actually did with all the embroidery he had seen her doing all these years. She had given him a few pillowcases to take with him as well as an embroidered scene of flowers and butterflies that was to be framed and hung in Sybbie's new room. They were lovely and something he knew his mother would love. They would also be something for Sybbie to treasure in the years to come. But he couldn't recall seeing such pillowcases or pictures anywhere in the house.

"I'm glad to see you Cora. I was hoping to talk to you a bit."

Cora looked up at him with a smile on her face. "Of course, please sit." She gestured to the couch she was sitting on.

The couch she was on sat in the middle of the room facing a large fireplace. Two wing chairs and a large coffee table completed this seating arrangement in front of the fireplace. To the left of this, in the far corner of the room, were two more comfortable looking lounge chairs with a small end table between them. These chairs faced one of the large windows so they were a perfect spot for looking at the view. The other corner on that side of the room had a small table with three chairs arranged around it. There were several chests and cabinets also placed around the room.

It was not a stiff looking room as so many in the house were. Tom wondered if Cora had actually decorated it since the style did not really match the other formal rooms of the house. There was wallpaper on all the walls but not one of those ancient oil paintings that filled so many walls in the abbey. No this was a bright and cheery room which so suited his mother-in-law.

Do you need some help regarding Sybbie's things?" Cora asked.

"I actually had something I wanted to ask you. I only have a few photographs of Sybil. Some from our wedding and one from Mary's wedding and one from Edith's" he paused, "well Edith's almost wedding. But I don't have any from before that. I thought that Sybbie would like a few photographs of her mother as a child and if you have one of Sybil in her nursing uniform. Photographs that we could take with us."

Cora looked at him for several seconds willing back the tears she was afraid were beginning. Although she understood Tom's reasons for wanting to move to America, it didn't make it any easier. She had grown fond of her son-in-law and had come to see what a wonderful match he and Sybil were. And of course there was Sybbie. It would be so hard not see her delightful granddaughter grow up. "What a wonderful idea Tom. Let's look through some of the photograph albums I have."

She rose from the couch and went to a tall cabinet standing in the far corner of the room on the wall opposite the windows. It opened like a wardrobe cabinet revealing five shelves. Photograph albums, or what Tom assumed were photograph albums, lined most of three of the shelves.

Cora spent a few minutes picking out some of the albums and handing them to Tom. "Just sit them on the table Tom." It took Tom three trips to take all the albums Cora had pulled from the cabinet to the table.

Tom was surprised not only at the number of photograph albums Cora had but of the detailed captions that she, or he assumed it was she, had written for each photograph. Virtually all of the photographs displayed around the house were professionally done but most of those in Cora's albums were not of the same quality.

"One of my greatest enjoyments was photographing the girls when they were young" Cora commented as she opened the first album. "We always hired a professional photographer several times a year to come here but I found so many of those photographs too stilted … they didn't really capture the personalities of the girls."

Cora laughed as she continued "plus it was very hard to get Sybil to sit or stand still."

Tom laughed too. "I can imagine."

"I think you can tell a lot about someone from their photographs" Cora said pointing to a photograph of the three sisters. Mary and Edith, looking about eight and nine years old, were primly sitting on a blanket staring into the camera. Mary looked quite serious while Edith displayed a shy smile. A three year old Sybil was standing with her body sideways to the camera next to Mary fussing with Mary's hair. The photographer, Tom assumed Cora, must have called to Sybil because it looked as if at the moment the camera clicked, Sybil with her hands still on Mary's hair looked directly at the camera with a wide grin on her face.

_Cora smiled as she remembered when she had snapped this photograph. It was a beautiful summer day with clear blue skies and not a cloud in sight. She and the girls had walked to the edge of the front lawn to take some photographs with Mary complaining all the way, Edith chattering about how lovely it would be, and Sybil running around them stopping only to look at a flower or a bug._

_Mary, dutiful as ever, sat down and posed right away, wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible. Edith, always trying to please, had asked if and where Cora wanted her to sit or stand. Although she had wanted Sybil to sit in front of Mary and Edith, Sybil of course had her own ideas. _

_To Cora the photograph captured the nature of the girls … dutiful Mary, shy Edith, and independent Sybil._

"Why don't we make an album for Sybbie?" Cora suggested to Tom. "It would be so much better than some loose photographs to get torn or lost. I could also write some comments describing when the photograph was taken."

Tom was surprised but very pleased with Cora's suggestion. "I think that would be grand. Are you sure you want to part with that many photographs though?"

Cora looked at the numerous albums they had before them on the table. "I have so many photographs and Sybbie should have her own album of her mother."

"We'll go through these albums and pull the photographs you want and then arrange them in an album when we've decided on all the photographs. That way we can make sure they're in an orderly fashion."

Tom nodded at Cora's suggestion. He thought how Cora was so often taken for granted by the family as if she was just part of the furniture. He had noticed that Robert and Mary never asked her for her opinions regarding the estate although it was her father's money that had kept the estate afloat for many years. Not only did they not seek her opinion, they never discussed estate business with her even when she asked. They always seemed to brush aside her questions or comments or even just ignored them.

He remembered how Sybil had talked about how involved her mother had been in running the convalescent home and how she had been impressed with that. Maybe, thought Tom, all these years Cora had just been looking for something to do beyond embroidering. Maybe that's why these photograph albums were so numerous and detailed.

Tom wasn't really that interested in photographs from Sybil's first few months which were all professionally done. He went through those photographs rather quickly and just chose one of her christening. The christening gown Sybil was wearing was one that had been worn by both of her sisters as well as Sybbie.

You really couldn't see much of the infant Sybil who was swathed in a bulky white gown and matching lace cap but he chose it for she was held by a glowing young Cora who was surrounded by Robert, Violet and a man Cora identified as Robert's father. Robert smiled proudly in the photograph but his parents looked stiff and formal in their manner as well as their dress.

Tom wasn't sure if he had ever seen a photograph of Robert's father. Judging by the look of him in this photograph, Tom was glad he had never met the man. Sensing Tom's thoughts on her in-laws, Cora touched the photograph.

"My in-laws were not at all happy that my third child was another girl. It was bad enough when Mary and Edith were born but with Sybil …" Cora paused. "Well you can imagine the kind of remarks I had to endure."

Tom looked at Cora whose eyes were focused on the photograph. He hadn't expected such a candid comment from her at least not one regarding her in-laws. But Tom could imagine old lady Grantham's tongue was just as sharp then as now.

Not looking at Tom, Cora quickly turned the page.

"Sybil was a good baby." Cora said while they thumbed through these pages of her early life. "Since she was my third I was much more relaxed and prepared. I no longer feared every little cough or cry."

Tom nodded because he knew what Cora meant. He remembered how he had been with Sybbie. He had feared every little cough and cry. He had been so afraid something would happen to her and he couldn't bear that thought. Not after Sybil.

_But it wasn't just that thought Cora. Although she was young when she had Mary who was quickly followed by Edith, she found motherhood so different from what she had imagined when pregnant. This was partly due to the ways of the aristocracy that she had married into where children were raised by nannies not their mothers and partly because the girls themselves were rather fussy babies._

_With Sybil things were different. Cora was much more comfortable in her English lifestyle. She no longer let Violet trample all over her … at least not all the time. She was determined that she would take a much more active role in raising Sybil. Despite Violet's objections, she had a cradle put in her sitting room so that she could spend more time with Sybil. _

_Cora spent many happy hours embroidering or knitting, chatting to the infant Sybil who was cooing contentedly in her cradle. When Sybil was able to sit up Cora often propped her up on the sofa where Sybil would happily play with some extra yarn while Cora sitting next to her would work on her projects._

_Of course it was only a few weeks before Sybil became fidgety. She was no longer content with sitting and playing with yarn. She would crawl on the couch and try to sit in Cora's lap. All the while she would try and finger everything she could reach … yarn, the embroidery hoop, Cora's dress, the buttons on her dress, Cora's hair._

_Cora smiled as she remembered Sybil sitting in her lap facing her. As Sybil would reach for Cora's cheek or hair, Cora would kiss her fingers causing Sybil to giggle. When she kissed Sybil's cheek, Sybil would then kiss Cora's. Even today Cora could so easily see that smiling baby Sybil and hear her giggles. That first year of Sybil's life had probably been the happiest of Cora's life._

As they went through the photograph albums Tom was impressed with the work that Cora had done with them. It seemed liked all the important events in a year such as birthdays and holidays were covered as well as some of the everyday moments that make up a life. As he looked at the photographs Tom was reminded again of how different his and Sybil's childhoods were.

In Tom's childhood birthdays were noted with a cake or some other sweet treat after dinner and one present such as a small bag of marbles or a kite made by his father. When he was lucky he would receive a book. Tom's most cherished gift was when he was fourteen and received his grandfather's pocket watch. He still had the watch and wore it on special occasions.

Christmas was celebrated with the most elaborate meal of the year. There was always enough food cooked to offer a meal to any relative or friend who might visit during the day. Each child would get a piece of clothing, usually something hand knit by his mother but it would always be something that was needed never something frivolous. They'd also get one other present that would usually be a cheap toy or one made by his father or uncle such as a carved wooden lorry or a set of building blocks. He remembered how he would avoid shop windows in the weeks before Christmas because they would be filled with toys that his parents could never afford but his heart desired. While the presents were sparse, the house was always filled with love and happiness and Tom had warm memories of his family holidays.

Looking at the photographs from Sybil's birthdays and Christmases he was once again reminded that for the Crawleys such occasions were elaborate affairs with enormous amounts of rich food and expensive and numerous gifts. The gifts for any one of Sybil's birthdays probably cost more than for all of Tom's childhood birthdays combined. He now realized that the costly gifts they had given Sybbie for her birthdays and Christmases were not tokens of their spoiling their oldest and only granddaughter. It was what was natural for them.

However, it was the photographs taken by Cora of everyday life that Tom enjoyed more for these were the unexpected snapshots chronicling a life and a family. He enjoyed seeing how the chubby toddler developed into the beautiful girl he met when he arrived at Downton.

But what also struck Tom as he viewed the albums was that Cora was much more involved in her daughters' childhoods than he had imagined. Although he tried to spend as much time with Sybbie as his job allowed, he knew that the aristocratic way was to leave the day to day upbringing of a child to the nanny.

"Was it hard coming to live in England?" Tom asked.

"It was much harder than I ever imagined" Cora replied. "It was so many changes at one time … marriage, a new country, a new lifestyle."

"But your family was rich too" Tom commented.

"Not all my life. My father was a self made man but those riches didn't really come until I was in my early teens. From the time I was probably around six or seven I helped out in the shop doing things like sweeping or helping to fill the bins."

Cora continued "Both my parents worked hard. My mother worked along side my father. Their success was due to her as much as him." She sounded quite proud of that.

"So it was a change to come here and find that I was not expected nor wanted to help with running the estate. My domain was to be solely the house itself."

Tom thought he detected a bit of wistfulness in Cora's tone. She looked as if she was going to say more but instead reached for a photograph. The photograph surprised Tom because in it Sybil was quite disheveled.

"If Sybil had had her way, this is how she would always have looked" Cora chuckled. "It would mean she had been climbing trees, or chasing rabbits, or playing in a creek."

_Unlike Mary or Edith, Sybil loved the outdoors. Even more so she loved playing outdoors. She would act out scenes from her favorite books which usually dealt with pirates or cowboys. She would chase rabbits or deer that wandered onto the grounds. She was never afraid to get dirty._

_From the time she could crawl, Sybil wanted to explore her surroundings. It seemed like she went from crawling to running because she found she could get further and explore so much more._

"So Sybbie comes by her desire to jump in puddles or chase Isis around the front lawn quite naturally." Tom laughed. "I thought maybe it was just her Irish side but I guess she gets it from both of us."

It took Tom and Cora two hours to go through just two of the photograph albums. Even for photographs that Tom didn't take, he would read Cora's notations or Cora would talk about the photograph – when it was taken, where it was taken, what she had hoped to convey through the photograph.

As she reached for the third photograph album, Cora stated "What if I ring for lunch to be served to us here? That way we could keep looking through these if you want."

"I'd like that very much" Tom replied sincerely. He was enjoying this time with Cora. While his purpose had been solely to retrieve a few photographs of Sybil, he found he was enthralled listening to Cora talk about Sybil's childhood. He was also seeing a side of Cora that he had never seen before.

Thirty minutes later Thomas and Andy entered the sitting room bearing two large trays containing several serving dishes from which Tom and Cora could serve themselves lunch. Plates, cutlery, glasses, and a pitcher of lemonade was on a tray carried by one of the other houseboys.

"Please set everything down on the coffee table" Cora said as she rose from her chair when the servants entered the room.

"I'll ring when we've finished and someone can retrieve the trays" Cora spoke authoritatively.

After they had done as instructed by Cora and then left the room, Cora turned to Tom. "Do you want to fill our plates and then sit back at the table and continue or take a break a sit on the couch while we eat?"

"Why don't we take a short break and sit on the couch" Tom replied.

Cora nodded and smiled at Tom. This morning has been such a delight she thought. It was so good to talk about Sybil. Although the hurt and pain of her death would never leave, it had been over four years and Cora could now talk about her without breaking into tears.

She also found that she was really enjoying talking with Tom. It was so obvious from the comments he made or the questions he asked that he was truly deeply in love with Sybil and that warmed her heart.

For Tom's part he was enjoying seeing Cora in this light. He knew it had taken Sybil a long time to determine if she could chance losing her family by choosing him. Listening to Cora and seeing the photographs helped him understand this part of Sybil a little better. His only contact with her parents prior to his marrying Sybil made him wonder if they knew their daughter at all. They didn't seem to have any idea of Sybil's loneliness, her desire to work, her desire for a life different from that at Downton. He now realized that maybe Sybil had been thinking of the parents of her childhood.


	2. Chapter 2

During their lunch, Tom and Cora continued talking mostly about his upcoming move to America. Cora again expressed her regret of his leaving but said she understand why he had chosen to leave.

"I just hope that you know you are always welcome to come back here whether for a visit or to live" Cora told him.

"I can't say for sure now because it will depend on the job, but I hope that Sybbie and I can come back every year. I do want her to know you all as well as my mother and family in Ireland" Tom responded.

He continued "I also hope that you will come to America. If you can't come to Boston we may be able to come to New York."

"Well at the least you must send frequent photographs of Sybbie. At her age they grow so fast." Tom noted that Cora sounded so wistful. Was she thinking of Sybil and her sisters? Or was it the thought that she wouldn't see Sybbie grow up?

"Of course. I will buy a camera the first thing when I get to Boston so I can take photographs frequently. I agree with you that the candid photographs are in many ways so much better than those formally taken by a photographer. Speaking of photographs maybe we should continue, we still have quite a few albums to go through" Tom stated.

Cora smiled at Tom. "And we still have to make Sybbie's album."

They continued looking through the albums with Cora making frequent commentaries.

Photographs from a trip to New York especially caught Tom's eye. In particular he noticed several photographs of Sybil on a carousel.

"This is the carousel ... like the wooden one she had" Tom exclaimed.

"She told you about the carousel?" Cora asked.

"Yes. She treasured that carousel. She told me how it was a reminder of her grandfather and the wonderful time she had with him. It was one of the few possessions she took to Ireland with her. Luckily when my mother sent our things from Ireland it was in the boxes and amazingly unbroken."

"It was Sybil's first trip to New York. She was six years old. She just fell in love with the carousel in Central Park." Cora smiled at the memory.

"She and my father went almost every day because Sybil wanted to ride each animal to determine which was the best" Cora continued with merriment evident in her voice.

_Her parents' apartment overlooked Central Park which just delighted Sybil. They hadn't been there for ten minutes when Sybil begged to go to the park. After so many days on the ship, Sybil was chomping to play in the great outdoors and the park looked so inviting to the six year old._

_Cora's father was quite happy to oblige Sybil that day and for the rest of their visit the two went to the park every day. It was on their second day that Sybil discovered the carousel. She had never seen anything like it and was totally captivated. The music … the carved wooden painted animals that one could sit on as they went up and down while the whole thing moved around in a circle … it all so delighted the six year old._

_According to Cora's father, after that first ride Sybil came running to him, her eyes so full of glee, a wide smile on her face, and asked if she could go again because she wanted to ride on a different animal. Only this time Sybil insisted her grandfather join her. "It will be so much fun Grandpapa, I promise."_

_Her father and Sybil had bonded on that trip. He had been delighted with the six year old and enjoyed spending time with her. The two would leave the apartment for what seemed like hours every day and explore Central Park or whatever caught their fancy. Although he always asked Mary and Edith to join them, they thought such activities were too childish for them._

_When Sybil returned to England she would draw pictures for her American grandfather which she regularly sent to him until his death a few years later._

"I'm not sure where he found it but my father bought that wooden carousel for Sybil to take home with her as a memory of her trip and, of course, as something to remember him by."

"_Mama … Mama" Sybil had come running into the room where Cora was taking a tea break from overseeing the packing of their suitcases for the return trip back to England. Sybil thrust the box at her mother "Mama it's just like the carousel I rode on" she happily exclaimed._

_Cora took the carousel out of the box. It did look like the one in the park. The wooden animals were painted in a variety of bright colors._

"_Let me show you how it works mama." Sybil could hardly contain her pleasure of the gift from her American grandfather. She carefully took the carousel from her mother and laid it gently on a table._

"_See you turn this key" which Sybil promptly did "and now watch." While playing a merry tune, the carousel started slowly spinning round and round while the painted animals went up and down. "See it's just like the one in the park." Sybil jumped up and down with pure delight on her face._

"I think throughout the rest of her childhood that carousel sat prominently on a table in her bedroom. No one was allowed to touch it except Sybil."

Tom thought Cora's story was so like Sybil. She did take delight in such simple pleasures. "And what animal did she decide was the best?"

Cora laughed. "It seemed to change every day. She would come home and exclaim that whatever she had ridden that day was the best. But I think in the end it was the giraffe."

Tom took one of the photographs of Sybil riding the carousel for Sybbie's album. "Now when she looks at the wooden carousel she can imagine her mother riding the real thing."

Tom was surprised at the number of pages of photographs from that trip to New York. Many of them were of all three girls in front of what Tom assumed was some famous attraction. There were also photographs of picnics in the park, the girls eating ice cream, and them looking at fancy shop windows, and to Tom's surprise photographs from a beach.

"It was summer so we went for a week to my parent's house in Newport. It was the first time Sybil had been to the beach." Cora said as she noted Tom paying particular attention to those photographs.

But as Tom looked at those photographs he wasn't thinking of a young Sybil at the beach, he was thinking how he and Sybil had so often talked of taking their child to the Irish coast.

_From the time he could remember, every summer his family visited an aunt and uncle who lived in southern Ireland in a seaside town. It was such a change from the crowded city of Dublin. There he and his siblings and cousins would play in the sand and ocean all day. Running on the beach, playing tag on the beach and in the water, competing to see who could build the biggest sand castle, all sorts of fun that one could never have in Dublin._

_His mom and aunt always packed several baskets of food that they would devour sitting on blankets on the sand while basking in the sunshine. The kids would be so exhausted they went to bed right after dinner. Those visits to the sea were the highlights of Tom's childhood._

_Sybil talked of her visit to the beaches in America. She remembered playing in the sand building sand castles and once Mary even let her cover her in sand. Now that was something Tom told her he would have loved to have seen because he just couldn't imagine the elegant Mary covered in sand not even a twelve year old Mary._

_Because of their happy memories of their childhood beach visits, they had agreed that as soon as their little one could crawl they'd take him or her to the shore. They talked of picnics sitting on the sand letting the waves roll in near them, of wading in the water holding their little one, of splashing around as the waves lapped the shore._

Tom blinked back a tear. Like so many things they had talked of doing this had never, and would never, come to pass.

Cora, sensing Tom's sudden discomfort, wrapped her arm around Tom's shoulder. "We can take a break or stop. I could finish this."

Tom, looking out the windows, remained quiet for a minute or two. "No. It's just that I suddenly was reminded once again what I, and Sybbie, am missing. Sybil and I often talked about the seaside…" He fell silent once again.

Standing up, Tom walked to the windows. "We had so many dreams. So many things we wanted to do."

Cora wasn't sure how to react to Tom's revelations. She had been delighted to look through the photograph albums with him. For so long after Sybil's death it had been too hard to think of doing such a thing. But now, although the pain was still there and would be until the day she died, it brought more laughter than tears. It had been good to talk so openly about Sybil.

But she was saved from making a decision because sudden noises coming from the hallway attracted Tom's attention.

He rushed to the door and opened it in time to see Sybbie with George and their nannies trailing several yards behind her. Sybbie had just reached the hallway after jumping down the stairs hence the noise. Spotting her father she broke out in a big smile "Daddy. Daddy" she yelled as she raced to her father with her arms outstretched.

"Sybbie my love." Tom lifted her and twirled her around. Still holding her in his arms he asked "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"We're just going outdoors to play. Want to come with us?"

"Can't my darlin. I'm working on something I need to finish today." He kissed his daughter's forehead before setting her back down on the floor. "It will be a grand surprise for you."

Sybbie giggled. "Can I see it now?"

Tom shook his head "It's not finished yet. It's something your grandmother and I are making for you to see on the ship."

Sybbie nodded at her father as she started hopping down the hallway to the grand stairs. Tom shook his head as he noted the spring in his daughter's step. Why walk when you could jump or hop or better yet run seemed to be her philosophy these days.

As the nannies and George passed him, Tom patted the lad's head.

Tom turned around and saw Cora standing in the doorway smiling. "I think we need to get back to work" Tom told her. It was amazing to him that just minutes with Sybbie could totally change his mood.

"I think it will be so quiet in the house when she leaves" Cora commented. "George and Marigold are just so much quieter than Sybbie was at their ages."

Tom nodded and chuckled. "Guess she gets that from both her mother and father."

"Along with being curious, smart, adventurous, headstrong, stubborn" Cora responded before Tom could stop her.

"Okay … okay I get your point." Tom said good-naturedly. "I'm going to have my hands full."

Cora nodded. "But you'll enjoy it."

A short while later after finishing the album on their trip to New York and starting on another album, Tom commented "I am surprised of all the photographs of Sybil and Mary."

Cora nodded "I think Sybil brought out a gentleness in Mary. It was like that from the day Sybil was born."

_It troubled Cora how Mary and Edith never seemed to get along. Mary wanted nothing to do with her new baby sister. She complained whenever the infant cried. Mary seemed to be jealous of any time Cora spent with Edith. Even as a toddler, Mary had a very demanding and forceful personality._

_It got worse when Edith began crawling and could grab Mary's toys. Mary never wanted to share her toys, she drew a very clear line as to what was hers and what was Edith's and heaven forbid if Edith touched Mary's toys._

_As they grew older Cora thought it would change but if anything it seemed to get worse. Edith was much meeker than Mary and Mary took advantage of this whenever she felt like it._

_Yet from the moment six year old Mary saw her newborn sister she seemed captivated. She would happily sit and read to Sybil while rocking her cradle. Mary couldn't wait till she could actually hold her._ _She was distressed whenever the baby would cry and sought to comfort her._

_As Sybil grew so too did the closeness between the sisters. Mary was far kinder to Sybil than she was with anyone else. Matthew was the only other person that had ever brought out that side of Mary._

"They were often inseparable especially when Sybil was very young. I think it was probably Mary that taught Sybil how to read. I think Mary was more concerned than I was when Sybil sneezed or sniffled."

Cora continued "Even when Mary got too old for childish games, or what she considered childish games, she still found time to spend with Sybil."

Tom was fascinated with the photographs of Sybil's season. Not that he was interested in the activities of the season which seemed rather foolish to him then and still did now, but he remembered how much Sybil had actually looked forward to it. Yet when she returned she was rather quiet about it. He had been so happy when she finally told him that while she enjoyed all the dancing and even the dressing up she found she was quite bored. No one seemed to want to talk about topics that interest her.

_He had missed her while she was gone. It was only clear to him then how much he looked forward to driving her or her visits to the garage. The conversations with her were the highlight of his days. He suspected she enjoyed his company too for he thought she didn't really need to make all those trips to Rippon. While most of the staff was happy to enjoy the down time with the family gone, he hated it. Even more, he was afraid she would come back engaged. After all that was the point of the season wasn't it?_

_But she had surprised him when she came back._

"_Oh Tom I'm so happy to be back here. Everyone only seemed interested in who was dancing with who, who was dressed in what, what food was served at the party. No one wanted to talk women's rights or books or politics. I've missed talking to you."_

_Tom's heart had soared. She had missed him. She enjoyed their conversations. For the first time he thought there was hope that she could actually fall in love with him._

Tom had rarely seen Sybil in her finery. Except when she came to the garage still dressed in one of her gowns, he'd only see her dressed like that on the rare occasions when he drove her to a local ball or fancy party. Even then if it was winter or cooler weather she'd have a coat on covering her dress. Additionally, he could only glimpse her as he helped her into or out of the motor car.

Now looking at these pictures, Tom thought Sybil looked absolutely stunning during her season. Those men were fools. They had a chance to dance with her, talk with her, openly court her.

"I'll take a few of Sybil in her gowns. Who knows Sybbie might be interested in fashions" Tom stated as he selected some photographs.

"Although I think the best dress, other than her wedding gown" Tom continued "was the harem pants."

Cora laughed. "Oh that outfit! I think she wore them just to get a rise out of her father and grandmother."

"I never told her I thought she looked lovely in them. They were so her … I loved her independent spirit" Cora continued.

"Do you have a photograph of her in them?" Tom asked.

"Unfortunately no" Cora responded.

"Well at least I have the actual outfit. I'll just have to describe to Sybbie how her mother looked in them."

It then dawned on Cora that Sybil never wore that outfit when they came back to Downton and Tom dined with the family. With a puzzled look on her face she asked "When did you see Sybil in them?"

Tom could feel himself blushing. "She was so excited the day she ordered them. She wouldn't describe the outfit but all the way back from Ripon she talked about it."

He could feel Cora deeply searching his face as he continued "I just had to see what the fuss was about. I was standing at the window when she came into the parlor."

He knew his face was probably as red as it would ever get. "When she twirled around, the look of pure joy on her face ..."

Cora laughed. "Some time we will have to talk about you and my daughter. I think there is a lot I don't know about during the years you worked here."

Tom looked alarm. "Don't worry … we never … I mean …"he stammered.

Cora saved him from further embarrassment. "It's fine Tom. It's just that maybe if I had known more at the time then it wouldn't have been so shocking when you two appeared that night in the parlor."

"I guess you'll be a little more alert when Sybbie is in her teens?" Cora quipped.

It was only when Mary and Edith appeared for tea that Tom and Cora realized how much time they had spent on the albums. The album for Sybbie wasn't quite finished but all the photographs had been selected by Tom. Cora told him she'd finish writing the captions that night.

The two who had so openly shared their deep grief had shared their stories of Sybil with much smiles and laughter. Each came to know the other better and to realize the qualities in each other that Sybil had loved. Together, Cora and Tom had created a new album selecting photos from throughout Sybil's life. They included some of the rest of the family as well. Through their laughter, and a few tears, they wrote new captions that told the story of each photo. In the end Tom had a wonderful book for Sybbie to help her know the mother she would never know in life.

On the morning two days later when Tom and Sybbie were leaving, Cora gave Tom a parting gift. To his utter surprise it was the latest model of a brownie camera.

"You can start taking pictures on the ship" Cora beamed at Tom.

"I'll start right now with a few parting photographs" Tom exclaimed. He and Sybbie posed in front of the Abbey. He took a photograph of the family standing there as well as one of the servants that had come to see them off.

A/N: I previously wrote this would just be a two chapter story but as I wrote this chapter I came up with an idea for a third chapter. Can you guess what it will cover?

I was able to see the Downton Clothes exhibit. Sybil's harem pants were one of the displays and they were beautiful. The dress she wore at the garden party was also on display but I thought it looked better on tv than in person. If you have the chance to see this display do it. The clothes are amazing – such detail in the beading or lace that the tv screen just doesn't convey. Unfortunately there were no clothes from Tom Branson.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: As I wrote the previous chapter, it suddenly dawned on me to have Tom use his new camera on his and Sybbie's voyage to Boston. After writing this, I had a hard time deciding whether to make it Chapter 3 of this story or make it a new story. My other hard decision was how to convey Tom's photographs but I hope you like how I decided that although that will be the next chapter.**

Tom was delighted with Cora's parting gift of the camera. While he knew the camera was as much for her benefit as his, he was nevertheless surprised and touched by such a thoughtful, and unexpected, gift.

Although he didn't think he'd make such detailed photograph albums as Cora had, he was inspired by the work they had done on the photograph album for Sybbie. He was determined that he would chronicle Sybbie's childhood in photographs. It would give him something to remind him of her childhood when she was grown up. It would be something lovely to look at and reminiscence.

He had taken so many photographs before leaving Downton that they almost missed their train. Since he wasn't sure when, or even if, he'd ever see these people again he wanted photographs to remember them by since he knew in time their faces would fade in his memories. And he knew that surely Sybbie would not remember their faces since she was so young. Although he had told the family he and Sybbie would come back to visit frequently he knew that time and distance made a difference whatever one's good intentions.

He had taken a photograph of the three children in the nursery with the nannies. As he did so he wondered if the true story of Marigold would ever be out in the open, would Sybbie ever know her as her cousin? Although anyone could see that Edith was extremely protective of Marigold much more so than would be expected of a foster mother, Edith was not willing to openly acknowledge Marigold as her daughter. Tom did worry that when … if … the true story of Marigold became public knowledge would Edith be able to cope with the public shame and humiliation.

And what of Sybbie and George who had been raised like brother and sister would they still be close when they grew up? Could such a deep bond that was broken at an early age be able to bridge the gap when they were teenagers or adults. He knew that Sybbie didn't comprehend that she wouldn't see George for a long time. He had overheard her telling him that she was going on an adventure on a big ship and she would tell him all about it. Mary had promised Tom that she would visit them in Boston next year but would such a promise be kept?

Mrs. Hughes always had a special place in Tom's heart. When he had first arrived at Downton, Mrs. Hughes had been like a mother figure to him. He was surprised that although he was a young man he did deeply miss his mother and siblings. She was the one that had known of his and Sybil's friendship way before anyone else. While she had never encouraged them, she had done nothing to stop them even after she realized he had taken no need of the warning she gave him at that long ago garden party.

Mrs. Hughes had confided in Tom that Sybil had been her favorite of the Crawley girls and so she had a soft spot in her heart for Sybil's daughter who was so much in looks and spirit like her mother although she also had a great deal of her father's disposition too. Tom had Cora take a photograph of him standing beside Mrs. Hughes who held Sybbie in her arms. He did think he saw her eyes glisten with tears as he said goodbye surprising her with a heartfelt hug.

He also took a photograph of Carson holding Sybbie. While he thought that Carson had warmed to him over the years, especially because of how he worked with Mary on the estate, he knew that deep down Carson had not approved of his relationship with Sybil. However, the man did seem to have taken a shine to Sybbie.

Tom had managed to slip away to the garage for one last look. His thought had been to take a photograph of the place that meant so much to him for it was here that his friendship, and then love, with Sybil had developed. But as he looked at the garage he realized that a photograph of it without Sybil in it was meaningless. He didn't need a photograph of the garage to be reminded of her. Even now he could imagine her sitting there on the bench while he worked or at least pretended to work or of the moment when she had finally agreed to marry him and they had kissed for the first time. He had savored every one of those precious moments. Those moments were in his heart and would always be there, he didn't need a photograph of an empty room to remember.

Tom and Sybbie didn't go directly from Downton to Boston. He wanted to make one more visit to his family in Ireland. While he had been banned from Ireland with the threat of arrest if he returned, Tom's mother had visited him several times in England. She had come twice to Downton with the first time being when Sybbie was only a few months old. She had come again for Sybbie's first birthday.

After that she would come to Kiernan's house in Liverpool and Tom and Sybbie would meet her there. Although she claimed it was easier for her to travel just to Liverpool rather than come all the way to Downton, Tom knew it was that she was uncomfortable at Downton. The Crawleys, at least Cora, Mary, and Edith, were always welcoming and tried to make Mrs. Branson feel comfortable. It wasn't that she was intimated by the Crawleys' wealth or titles for Kathleen Branson was too proud for that. Rather it was the general idleness of the family that bothered her. She couldn't get used to being waited on by all the servants or the dressing up for dinner.

Most of all, she didn't feel that she could interact with Sybbie in the way she did with her other grandchildren for always hovering nearby would be a nanny. A nanny who was determined to keep Sybbie on a schedule even though her grandmother had come from Ireland to see her and spend time with her. She was the child's grandmother she didn't feel that she needed to ask permission to take the child for a walk in her pram or hold her or play with her.

Now that the ban on his returning to Ireland had been lifted, Tom and Sybbie could freely go to his mother's house. As always Tom's heart was warmed by the sight of the small brick house that was his childhood home. While his childhood may have lacked material things it never lacked love.

After a very chaotic first full day back in Ireland, when all of his brothers and sisters and their children had come to see him and Sybbie, it was nice to sit in the kitchen eating breakfast with just Sybbie and his mother. He wanted to savor this time alone with his mother. He wasn't really concentrating on what Sybbie and his mother were talking about only that the two were holding a very animated conversation punctuated with Sybbie's giggles.

"Why don't you come with us?" Tom suddenly blurted out.

His mother snapped her head in Tom's direction with puzzlement written all over her face. "What?"

"Come with us … to Boston."

"Whatever has made you ask that?"

"I don't know. Just seeing you with Sybbie." Tom nodded his head in Sybbie's direction. "Now with Meg married you're alone here. No reason you couldn't come with us."

"You want me to come live with you in Boston?" his mother couldn't hide the surprise she felt. She had no inkling that Tom had even been considering such a thing.

"If you want. I was thinking more of you coming with us and helping us get settled. But of course you could stay as long as you want." Although he had blurted out his proposal to his mother without really thinking about it, now he was warming to the idea. It would be good to have help with Sybbie and especially if that help was someone who loved her.

"I'm making so many changes to Sybbie's life. It would be nice to have someone she knows and loves be with her while I'm at work."

"I thought you had arrangements already made. I thought Sheila was going to watch her until you found someone permanent."

Tom nodded. His cousin's wife had graciously volunteered to watch Sybbie while they became settled. She had even started looking at flats for them to rent. But for how long could he rely on her generosity. He would need someone to watch Sybbie while he was at work and he feared his hours would be long. His cousin was already doing him a favor by offering him the job.

"Aye she has offered. But Sybbie doesn't know her. She'd be more comfortable with you."

Sybbie couldn't really follow the conversation between her dad and grandma although she realized they were talking about her and Boston. She stood up and walked over to her grandma with her little arms outstretched. "Come with us Grandma. Come to Boss Tin."

Kathleen Branson looked at the smiling child looking up at her. She raised her up to sit on her lap. Oh this sweet child Kathleen thought. Oh this sweet child.

The next couple of days passed in a blur of activity for both Tom and his mother. Although his proposal of his mother joining them was made rashly and without any thought, Tom had greatly warmed to the idea. To his amazement, after thinking it over for a day, his mother had agreed to come. Not permanently she had said but just until Tom and Sybbie were settled.

All of the Bransons were in shock that Kathleen would suddenly agree to go with Tom to Boston. There was disagreement amongthem whether this was a good or bad thing. But regardless of their personal feelings, all helped in whatever why they could to prepare Kathleen for her departure. It was agreed that Meg and her new husband would move into the family home while Kathleen was away.

Surprisingly it was Kathleen's wardrobe that seemed to worry her the most. Most all of her clothes were old, dated and well worn since her meager income didn't allow the luxury of the latest fashions nor did she feel the need when the only places she visited outside of family were the local shops and church. The last time she had bought a new dress was when she visited Downton the first time. She had always professed that she wasn't concerned with fashion however she was worried that she wouldn't be dressed properly for the ocean liner especially since they would be traveling second class.

She was embarrassed when Tom, hearing of his mother's unease over her meager wardrobe from one of his sisters, gave her money to buy some new clothes. However she and her daughter had a great time shopping. It was the first time in her life that she had ever spent so much money on herself.

Emotions ran high on the day they finally left for America. Other than the short trips Mrs. Branson had made to England to see Tom, she had never been away from Ireland. Except for her sons Kiernan and Tom, her children and grandchildren were in Ireland and she saw them daily. She wasn't sure when she'd be back. Yet, unlike some of her children, she had no misgivings. If fact she was secretly looking forward to the adventure because that is what she thought it was … an adventure of the sort she had never made in her life and never thought she would at this age.

Tom surprised himself at how emotional he felt at leaving Ireland yet at least this time he was leaving Ireland on his own terms. The first time he left Ireland, when he went to Downton, he knew in his heart he would return. While working as the chauffeur at Downton he had looked forward to when he would return to Ireland, hopefully with Sybil accompanying him. The happiest year of his life had been the one that they had shared in Ireland. He was ashamed of his actions that had caused him and Sybil to flee Ireland**. **But now, without Sybil, the appeal of Ireland had dimmed.

It didn't really hit Tom of the drastic change he was making until he actually saw the ship that would take them to America. Seeing the ship made his decision seem real at last. They really were going to America, to start over, to start a new life.

Sybbie could hardly contain her excitement. The big ship. The ocean. Everything was so fascinating to her.

"Are we really going to ride in that?" she asked her father with her eyes wide with wonderment as she saw the ship for the first time.

"Aye my love" Tom replied as he held her tightly. "That's how we're going to get to Boston."

When they arrived in Boston, Tom was surprised by the number of photographs he taken. He wanted to send photographs not only to Cora but also to his siblings and of course he wanted some for himself.

Two months after Tom and Sybbie left Downton, Cora received a package from Tom which she excitedly opened. It contained some crayon drawings Sybbie had done for Robert and George. But most importantly to Cora were the enclosed photographs. For each photograph Tom had written a description or made comments. He noted in some of his comments that he was just acting as Sybbie's secretary and writing her words.

_Dear Cora,_

_I must apologize for my tardiness in writing to you but as you can imagine my time has been so filled since we left Downton. We had a wonderful_ _week in Ireland and as you'll see in the photographs, my mother decided to join Sybbie and me on our adventure to Boston. It was surprising to me that she did accept my offer which I had made somewhat in jest and totally without thinking about it. But I think it worked out for the best that she did come with us. Although I'm sure I could have managed with Sybbie on the ocean liner by myself it did make it easier on me to have my mother there._

_Speaking of making things easier, I must also thank you and Robert for upgrading us to first class. I was surprised by your generosity, although by now I know how thoughtful you are, and thought at first there was a mistake when we were taken to our cabin. Having our own sitting room was a welcomed surprise and we certainly made use of it. _

_Since you've made the crossing numerous times I don't need to tell you what it is like. However, traveling with a small child probably made our trip somewhat different from what you are used to. We only ate lunch and sometimes breakfast in the dining room since I didn't think it would be accepted for Sybbie to be there for dinner. Although I can confide in you that of course my mother does not have a wardrobe for such dinners. Even though at Mary's insistence I did pack two of my dinner suits, I didn't feel like dressing up and dining with strangers when I had two of my favorite females back in our cabin. Having dinner delivered to our sitting room seemed like a decadent luxury that we thoroughly enjoyed._

_As you'll see I've enclosed several photographs of Sybbie on the ship. I think she had a wonderful time exploring the ship and I don't think there was any public room that we didn't explore. To my surprise there was a children's play room for the first and second class children of which in addition to Sybbie there were six or seven within two or three years of Sybbie's age. While she did play with some of them I can say none will be lifelong friends but it did take the edge off of missing George which I can report Sybbie did._

_Well I think I've written enough about the crossing and you'll get more details with the photographs. I've written about each photograph maybe more than you need or even want to know but I wanted to include enough details so you'd get the sense of being there._

_As to our life in Boston, it has been very busy but I think we are finally settled in. My cousin's wife had lined up some flats for us to look at and she did a good job although at the time she didn't know my mother would be with us so some of them were too small. While my mother will not be here permanently, or so she says, I want her to be comfortable and have her own bedroom._

_After looking at flats, I decided to actually buy a house. I have managed to save a good bit of money these past few years so I was able to do it. In fact I am now a landlord since the house has a flat on the top floor that I've rented out!_

_It is amazing all the things you need to buy to furnish a house when you are starting fresh. Probably the most finished room in the house is Sybbie's bedroom because I thought it important to make sure she was comfortable. Again the enclosed photographs will detail the house as well as a bit about our surroundings. There is a small garden for Sybbie to play in but a large park is less than a ten minute walk away._

_I'm settling into the job and think I will like it. Although it is so different from my work on the estate it does have some similarities such as meeting and dealing with many different people. I find there is something new every day and look forward to work each day._

_Know that Sybbie and I do miss all of you and look forward to when we will see you again._

_Tom_

After finishing the letter, Cora eagerly reached for the photographs.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you to all who have taken the time to review this story - those reviews are greatly appreciated. After the idea of the photographs came to me while writing Chap 2, it took a while to figure out how to do it. I hope you like what I finally decided on.**

Cora had settled on one of the couches in her upstairs sitting room. It was the room where she and Tom had spent a wonderful day looking through some of her photograph albums and selecting photographs of Sybil from them to make an album for Sybbie. They had spent the day reminiscing and sharing stories of their beloved Sybil. At the end of that day, each felt closer to the other.

After reading Tom's letter, Cora refilled her china tea cup and then eagerly began looking at the photographs Tom had enclosed with his letter.

The first photograph Cora looked at was Sybbie waving from the top of the ship's gangway. As it was late March and still chilly and would certainly be so out on the high seas, she was dressed in her dark wine colored winter coat and matching hat holding the ever present stuffed rabbit in one hand pressed against her chest. Her face beaming with a wide grin, she waved wildly at some unknown sight. Tom's note accompanied the photograph:

_Sybbie's face was a sight to behold when she first saw the ship. She had that look of awe and wonderment with her eyes so large and her mouth opened to form a perfect O. Unfortunately I didn't think of trying to capture her first reaction to seeing the ship. But you've seen that look before … the one she has when the Downton Christmas tree is lit for the first time._

_Fearless as always, she boldly walked alone up the narrow gangway. __She did mind her father and walked, not ran, up the gangway, although __there were a few hops along the way!_

Looking at the picture made Cora realize how final this move to Boston was. Although it was breaking Cora's heart for Tom and Sybbie to leave Downton, she understood his desire to start a new life away from here. At least when she had made the move to England she was a young woman so her parents had seen her grow up, they had been a constant part of her childhood. She was saddened by the thought that she would mostly see Sybbie growing up only through photographs.

The next photograph was Tom, holding Sybbie in his arms, standing at the railing watching as the ship started moving from its mooring. With Sybbie tightly held in his arms, she was pointing to something on shore.

"_Daddy we're moving" Sybbie exclaimed with excitement in her voice. __I don't think the camera was able to capture the expression of pure __astonishment on her face when the ship's horn blasted and then as the ship started to move. We stayed there at the railing until the port was out of sight. She then wanted to run to front of the ship to be able to see where we were going._

This picture was followed by one of Tom, Mrs. Branson, and Sybbie standing in what Cora knew was called the bridge. There were several men in finely pressed uniforms talking to them and one was pointing to something that Cora had no idea what it was. There was no note on this picture and it was followed by one of Sybbie, being held by one of the uniformed men, holding on to what looked like a big wooden steering wheel.

_My brother had suggested I use a map to show Sybbie where we were and where we were going. I was able to find a large map of England, Ireland, the Atlantic Ocean and the northern part of the east coast of the American continent. So in the cabin I showed Sybbie where Downton is, where Dublin is, and pointed out where Boston is. We marked the route we had taken from Downton to Dublin and did the same with the ocean voyage, marking each day how far we'd come on the sea. _

_When our cabin steward noticed the map he asked me about it and after I explained to him my plan for marking our voyage each day, he talked to the captain who in turn was quite pleased with the idea. In fact he was so pleased that he invited us up to the bridge and explained the workings of the ship to us. As you can see from the second picture, the captain held Sybbie while he let her touch the steering wheel. Of course at luncheon that afternoon she told our steward that she had helped the captain steer the ship._

_It was more than Sybbie and my mother were really interested in and they left after a short time. But I, as you know being so interested in such stuff, was thrilled and spend an enjoyable couple of hours talking to the captain and crew working in the bridge about the navigation systems, radio transmissions and such. It was for me the best part of our crossing._

_Although I will say my mother was quite impressed to be asked to do such a visit. After that visit, each evening the steward would take our map and return it in the morning with our progress clearly outlined on it._

Next was a photograph of Sybbie and Mrs. Branson sitting at a dining table in one of the ship's opulent dining rooms. Sybbie looked quite the young lady in her blue dress sitting there with perfect posture holding a spoon with what liked soup in a bowl in front of her.

_Our first luncheon on the ship. While the food was good by the end of the voyage I was longing for some of Mrs. Patmore's cooking._

_Sybbie was quite excited to eat at the table with the adults. Although she was used to this from her week at my mother's house, she had never eaten out in public before. She quite liked being asked what she wanted on her plate and got quite use to this both on the ship and at the hotel we stayed in until our house was ready. The first night in our new house when my mother put Sybbie's plate on the table, Sybbie told her she didn't want the stew but preferred to have chicken. When we told her this wasn't like on the ship and she'd have to eat what her Grandma fixed she asked if she could go back to the ship for her dinner._

_I was never sure what Sybbie understood regarding the servants at Downton especially when it came to the formality of names. When our steward at luncheon introduced himself as James Holton, Sybbie immediately called him James. When he asked her name she told him it was Miss Sybbie Branson. He later called her Sybbie and she firmly told him her name was Miss Sybbie. I was going to talk to her about this but since it will be some time before we return to Downton and we won't have servants in Boston I decided not to._

Sybbie, holding out both of her arms, running on one of the ship's decks was captured by the next photograph. It appeared to be taken on one of the decks with a sheltered walk way. Tom, at least Cora guessed it was Tom that had taken the photograph, had taken the photograph with Sybbie running away from the camera rather than towards it.

_As you know Sybbie has lots of energy and while the liner is quite large there is very little space for a child to use up that energy. At least twice a day we'd walk, or rather I'd walk, and Sybbie would alternate walking, running, and hopping, around one of the decks. We'd do the entire length all the way around the ship although with Sybbie running ahead and then back to me she probably managed to go at least twice the distance I did._

_At this time of the year there was often quite a chill in the air so not many of the passengers sat out on the decks or even took advantage to stroll around them. This worked out well for us since our fellow passengers probably wouldn't have enjoyed a four year old running around._

The next photograph was of Sybbie sitting in Tom's lap in the ship's library while he read a story to her.

_The ship had a nice small library with a good selection of books although nothing in comparison to the Downton library. When we sat in here reading, I could actually imagine for a few minutes that we were back in the Downton library which was always my favorite room in the house._

_The collection of children's books was fairly small but we did find some new ones as well as several of Sybbie's favorites including one that Robert often read to her. She did inform me that she liked the way Donk read the book to her better because of the funny way he would have the characters talk. Apparently Robert does a much better talking monkey, spider and (laughingly) donkey than I do! _

It was obvious from the next photograph that Sybbie had seen something exciting in the water as she was standing close to the railing and energetically pointing out towards the ocean. Although her hand was pointing out to sea, she had turned her head towards the camera and Cora knew from the look on Sybbie's face that she was vigorously telling Tom something.

While the camera couldn't capture movement, Cora knew from the way Sybbie was standing that she was doing that hopping up and down on one foot she'd do when she was excited.

_Can you believe we actually saw some whales? I couldn't believe how huge they were – they must have been sixty feet long! We were lucky that it was a bright sunny day with relatively calm water so it was easy to see the whales._

Cora smiled as she looked at the photograph of Sybbie tucked into her bed at her new house in Boston. She could tell by the bits of embroidery on the side of the pillowcase that it was one she had done for Tom. It's funny how angelic children look when they're sleeping thought Cora.

As she looked at the photograph and moved her eyes from the adorably sleeping Sybbie, Cora noticed the night stand next to her bed which held the enameled music box Robert had given to Sybbie for Christmas. She would have to show this picture to him since he would be delighted to see the music box in such a prominent spot. Cora had been surprised on Christmas day when Robert had handed the child the somewhat oddly wrapped gift since she had never known Robert to buy or wrap a present for one of his children.

Cora also noticed the framed photograph of her and Robert, with Sybbie in his arms, sitting next to the lamp on the nightstand. The photograph had been taken the morning Tom and Sybbie left Downton.

There was no note written with this photograph, instead there was another photograph of what Cora presumed was Sybbie's bedroom. In this photograph was a child's wooden rocking chair that Cora had never seen before with a knitted afghan hung over the back of it. The chair was next to a small dresser which matched the headboard of Sybbie's bed.

Along with a stack of books, sitting atop the dresser was the wooden carousel that Cora's father had given to a six year old Sybil. Next to the carousel was a large framed photograph of Sybil. Cora felt tears moisten her eyes as she looked at the framed photograph of Sybil and the carousel. While she hoped that Tom would find a new love in Boston, she knew that Tom would never let Sybbie forget who her mother was.

_As you can probably guess, these are photographs of Sybbie's bedroom. I wish the photographs were in color so you could see how bright and beautiful her room is. We had a lot of fun in decorating her room. She picked out a pale yellow for the walls and I also painted the ceiling a light blue and added some white clouds, or at least some touches of white paint that I hope look like clouds._

_My mother is a wonderful seamtress and she made a bedspread and matching curtains from material that Sybbie picked out. The material is small flowers in various shades of yellow, blue, and red with green vines on a white background. I must say it is quite feminine looking and I was surprised by Sybbie's choice of fabric. Although I have since learned my mother sorta steered her in this direction after seeing Sybbie's first choice of a loud patterned material of bright green and purple._

_Sybbie also picked which photographs to display as well as the carousel and the music box. I think she listens to that music box a hundred times a day and especially as the last thing as she goes to bed which I think would really please Robert. My heart breaks every night as I watch her kiss the photograph of Sybil and say "good night Mama" before walking to her bed and proceeding to kiss the photograph of you and Robert._

Cora paused before moving to the next photograph. The description of Sybbie kissing Sybil's photograph and theirs was moving yet also heartbreaking. She was glad Tom was being so descriptive in his writing as she really wanted a feel of their life in Boston.

The next photograph was of Sybbie and Mrs. Branson in the kitchen of their Boston home. Both had on matching aprons which Cora thought Mrs. Branson had probably made. Sybbie, looking very intent on her work, standing on something that enabled her to work comfortably at the table, was stirring what looked like a batter of some sort in a big wooden bowl that sat on the kitchen table. Mrs. Branson was standing next to her, holding a large bowl in which she was also stirring something.

_My mother feels one is never too young to help out in the kitchen. Every night when I come home from work, Sybbie runs to greet me at the door and tells me what she has cooked for dinner, although I can often tell by the stains on her apron. While it is nice to have my mother's good Irish cooking, I do miss some of Mrs. Patmore's dishes and have written to her asking for some recipes of my favorites._

_As you can see by the matching aprons, my mother has been a ball of fire when it comes to sewing. I bought her a sewing machine which she has quickly mastered. She has made all the curtains as well as the bed spreads plus tablecloths and anything else you can think of. It seems when she isn't sewing she's knitting or crocheting as I think she really does believe idle hands are the devil's workshop. She's teaching Sybbie how to knit and I believe you will soon be getting a sample of her work._

The next photograph was of Sybbie playing with a ball in what Cora assumed was the back garden of their house. She could see quite a few bushes that were beginning to bloom in the background as well as a huge tree that would provide plenty of shade making the yard look rather inviting. But what really drew Cora's attention was that Sybbie was dressed in a shirt and, there was no mistaking it, trousers!

_In addition to all the household goods my mother has sewn, she has made a few things for Sybbie's wardrobe including, as I'm sure you noticed, trousers! I haven't let her wear them out in public, they're just for playing in our garden. Although I am reconsidering that since last week at the park, Sybbie and the other children (both boys and girls) were playing a very vigorous game of kick ball and with all the tumbling her knickers (as well as those of the other girls) were often on display! I don't want to discourage her from playing but I'm not comfortable with the whole world being able to see her knickers so I think trousers might be the answer._

This did cause Cora to chuckle. She could imagine Sybbie playing quite vigorously. She was glad it appeared that Sybbie had other children to play with since she was afraid that without George, Sybbie would be lonely.

As if to emphasize this, the next photograph was of Sybbie and a group of eight or nine boys and girls playing with a ball in what must be the park Tom had talked about.

_This is Sybbie in the park which is only a five minute walk from our house. On most days, my mother and Sybbie walk to the park. Sybbie has met some of the other neighborhood children there and has invited two of the girls to come to our house to play. _

_My mother has also met some other women at the park watching the children play. Between those women and the women at the church, she has gained quite a circle of friends. Although she had said she was only coming to Boston to help us get settled, she seems to have settled in herself. I am grateful for her help. I know Sybbie is being well cared for while I am at work and that certainly eases my mind and allows me to concentrate on my new job. And quite frankly, after being away from my family for so many years, I am enjoying having my mother here._

All of the photographs warmed Cora's heart. She was glad that both Sybbie and Tom appeared to be settling into their new life. Her only regret was that that new life was so far away. She would write him back right away and let her know how much she enjoyed not only the photographs but his detailed descriptions.

After looking at the photographs, Cora knew that Sybbie would be raised in a much more relaxed atmosphere that the one at Downton, not only because of the difference in their finances, but that it was just more in line with Tom's background. In many ways, it would be more like the Cora's own childhood.

In her heart, Cora knew it would be the way Sybil would have wanted Sybbie to be raised. She would go to school with other children. She would learn how to do things around the house. How proud Sybil would be of Tom. He was raising a delightful young daughter who was so much like her mother.

The house was so quiet without Sybbie. Even now, over two months since she had left, that silence was deafening. George and Marigold were just so much quieter than Sybbie.

To Cora's surprise Robert had already asked that they visit America in August. In all the years she had been in England, this was the first time Robert had suggested they visit America. Although, after she showed Robert these photographs, she wasn't sure he could wait until August to see his beloved granddaughter in person.

She hoped Tom would find in Boston whatever it was he was searching for. During the time Tom had lived with them at Downton, Cora had come to see the qualities in Tom that had attracted Sybil and drew her love. She was convinced that Tom had loved Sybil with all his heart.

He was still a young man. She hoped he would find love again. But whatever happened, Cora would always consider Tom a part, a vital part, of her family.

**A/N: I consider this story to be a companion piece to Robert and His Two Sybils as well as A New Life. Although all are stand alone stories they do interrelate and I hope you will read them if you haven't already.**


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